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[Speakers: Kirk Watson Mayor Ken Snipes Director, Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) Dr. Desmar Walkes Austin-Travis County Health Authority, Austin Public Health (APH) Stuart Reilly Interim Director, Austin Energy (AE) Wesley Hopkins Assistant Chief, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) In attendance: Bruce Mills Interim Assistant City Manager, City of Austin Janet Pichette Epidemiologist, Austin Public Health (APH)]
WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY.UH, AS WE PROMISED, WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO HERE AT THE CITY IS WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF, UH, EXTREME HEAT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT HOW TO APPROACH, UH, THIS TIME.
UH, IN, IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TEXAS, SO WE ALWAYS EXPECT SOME HEAT, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THIS, THESE SORT OF CONDITIONS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TODAY IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE STEP UP AND GIVE REPORTS ON WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT ALSO GIVE, UH, ADVICE, UH, IF IT, IF IT'S, UH, MEANINGFUL.
AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE DIRECTOR OF OUR HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY, UH, MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT IS KEN SNIPES WILL FOLLOW THAT WITH A REPORT FROM AUSTIN ENERGY FROM THE INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER, STEWART RILEY, THEN AU AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, HEALTH AUTHORITY, AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
DESMO WALKS WILL, WILL GIVE A REPORT, AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, AND THAT'LL BE ASSISTANT CHIEF WESLEY HOPKINS.
UH, THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS IF ANY OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR KEN SNIPES.
UH, AS THE MAYOR SAID, I'M DIRECTOR KEN SNIPES, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE KNOW THE HEAT WILL BRING EXTREME TEMPERATURES TO CENTRAL TEXAS.
LAST WEEK, AUSTIN REGISTERED THE HIGHEST HEAT INDEX ON RECORD.
WE EXPECT HEAT AND HUMIDITY TO CONTINUE INTO THE TRIPLE DIGITS THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK.
AUSTINITES AND VISITORS SHOULD EXPECT 100 DEGREE DAYS FOR THE FORESEEABLE.
AND WE AT HESO ARE HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR MONTHS IN ADVANCE FOR, UH, THE WEATHER, COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PREPARE AND PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE PREPARED FOR THE HEAT.
WE ENCOURAGE AUSTINITES TO STAY HYDRATED, STAY COOL, AND STAY SAFE DURING THESE CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN VISIT OUR READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG WEBSITE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY, AND ALSO, UH, FOR, UH, TIPS ON HOW TO RECOGNIZE, UH, HEAT ILLNESS.
KNOWING HOW TO RESPOND TO HEAT ILLNESS CAN SAVE LIVES.
OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE AT RISK DURING THESE HEAT E EXTREME TEMPERATURES, EXCUSE ME.
YESTERDAY WE VISITED EIGHT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 720 BOTTLES OF WATER.
UH, WE DID THAT WITH THE, UH, CITY'S, UM, HOMELESS SERVICES, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO, UH, THE HOMELAND SECURITIES, UH, DISASTER RELIEF TEAM AND LOGISTICS TEAM.
UM, AUSTIN'S HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION HELPED US IDENTIFY THE SITES, UH, TO MEET WITH THE PEOPLE THERE AND GET WATER TO BOTH THEM AND ALSO THEIR PETS.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU, I WAS SURPRISED YESTERDAY TO SEE, UH, JUST HOW MANY, UH, PEOPLE, UH, NEEDED WATER FOR THEIR PETS YESTERDAY.
UH, ALSO WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT OUR COOLING CENTERS ARE STILL OPEN, INCLUDING, UM, AUSTIN'S RECREATION CENTERS AND LIBRARIES.
THEY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 8:00 PM EACH EVENING.
UM, THIS WEEKEND, EIGHT PARKS FACILITIES, UH, WERE AVAILABLE AS COOLING CENTERS AND ALL LIBRARIES.
THESE COOLING CENTERS SERVE AS A REPRIEVE FROM THE HEAT, ALLOWING PEOPLE AND THEIR SERVICE ANIMALS TO COOL OFF DURING THE HOTTEST TIMES OF THE YEAR.
AGAIN, IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE, UM, INFORMATION ON OUR COOLING CENTERS.
UH, AND THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE IN 13 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO STUART RILEY.
UH, I'M STUART RILEY, INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER OF AUSTIN ENERGY.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE HEAT ADVISORIES AND EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS THAT ARE PREDICTED FOR THIS WEEK, AND AUSTIN ENERGY IS READY.
WITH EXTREME HEAT COMES EXTREME AND HIGH ELECTRIC USAGE.
THIS CAN PUT STRAIN ON OUR SYSTEM AND OUR EQUIPMENT LOCALLY, AND IT CAN ALSO BURDEN THE STATE'S OR CAUGHT ELECTRIC GRID.
AUSTIN ENERGY IS MONITORING ITS SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE PERSONNEL ON STANDBY AND READY TO REACT IN CASE OF ANY EMERGENCIES OR ANY OUTAGE SITUATIONS.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH ERCOT TO LEARN ABOUT ERCOT GRID CONDITIONS, AND WE ARE READY TO IMPLEMENT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IF NECESSARY, AND WE ARE READY TO FOLLOW ANY ERCOT INSTRUCTIONS THAT MAY COME.
AUSTIN ENERGY'S WEBSITE HAS A CURRENT CONDITIONS PAGE THAT HAS TIPS ON CONSERVATION, HOW TO STAY COOL DURING THIS HEAT, UH, HOW TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY PLAN, AND IT ALSO HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUSTIN, UH, LOCAL SYSTEM AND CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL ERCOT GRID CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN VISIT THAT AT AUSTIN ENERGY.COM/GO/ALERTS.
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OF RIGHT NOW, ERCOT HAS ISSUED A WEATHER WATCH, AND THAT WILL RUN THROUGH FRIDAY.THAT WEATHER WATCH IS DUE TO THE EXTREME, UH, HEAT AND EXTREME PEAK DEMAND FORECAST FOR THIS WEEK.
WHILE ERCOT IS EXPECTING NEW ALL TIME PEAK DEMAND RECORDS FOR THIS WEEK, THEY ARE ALSO FORECASTING THAT THEY WILL BE IN NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.
THIS MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SUPPLY TO MEET CUSTOMER DEMAND WITHIN ERCOT, BUT IF THAT SITUATION CHANGES, ERCOT WOULD THEN MOVE UP INTO A DIFFERENT PRE EMERGENCY, UH, STATE, WHICH WOULD BE THE ERCOT CONSERVATION NOTICE.
THAT WOULD BE A VOLUNTARY CALL FOR CONSERVATION TO CUSTOMERS ACROSS TEXAS TO CONSERVE ENERGY.
AND WE ASK THAT ANY CUSTOMER PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THAT CALL FOR CONSERVATION WHEN THAT CALL COMES.
BEYOND THAT, WHILE IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED, IF ERCOT DOES NEED TO MOVE INTO ANY OTHER OPERATING CONDITIONS, IT WOULD MOVE INTO THE ER ENERGY EMERGENCY ALERTS.
THOSE ARE ENERGY, EMERGENCY ALERT OR E E A LEVELS ONE, TWO, AND THREE.
AND IT'S NOT UNTIL A LEVEL THREE IN WHICH ERCOT WOULD MANDATE CONTROLLED OUTAGES OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES ACROSS ERCOT.
IF THAT DOES OCCUR, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING THAT, BUT IF THAT DOES OCCUR, THOSE OUTAGES WOULD BE BRIEF AND DURATION LIMITED TO THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS WHEN ELECTRIC USAGE IS HIGHEST AND TEMPERATURES ARE HIGHEST.
AND AUSTIN ENERGY WOULD ROTATE THOSE OUTAGES FOR THE OUTAGES TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE BASED ON WHAT ERCOT CALLS UPON.
OF COURSE, A FORECAST IS JUST A FORECAST, SO WE ASK THAT EVERYBODY PLEASE BE READY FOR ANY TYPE OF EMERGENCY THAT MAY COME, ANY KIND OF HEAT RELATED EMERGENCY, CREATE A PLAN.
ALSO, PLEASE DOWNLOAD, UH, THE ERCOT APP AND, UH, ENABLE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS, AND YOU CAN LEARN IN REAL TIME ABOUT ANY ERCOT CALLS FOR CONSERVATION OR EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.
ALSO, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR AUSTIN ENERGY OUTAGE ALERTS AND MAKE SURE AUSTIN ENERGY HAS YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS IN CASE WE NEED TO GET ANY COMMUNICATIONS OUT.
WHILE WE'RE IN THIS ERCOT WEATHER WATCH, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS ENHANCED ITS COMMUNICATIONS.
WE'RE PUTTING OUT COMMUNICATIONS EVERY MORNING AND EVERY AFTERNOON JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT GRID CONDITIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S READY, UH, FOR WHAT THE DAY HAS IN STORE FOR US.
AND LASTLY, YOU'VE HEARD IT MANY TIMES, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO CONSERVE.
ENERGY CONSERVATION HELPS THE GRID.
IT ALSO HELPS, KEEPS KEEP BILLS LOW, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND SO PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SAFELY LIMIT YOUR USE OF ELECTRICITY, PARTICULARLY DURING THOSE PEAK AFTERNOON HOURS WHEN IT'S HOTTEST.
AND AUSTIN ENERGY IS HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY DURING THESE HOT, UH, CONDITIONS, AND, UH, WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC TO GET THROUGH THIS HEAT.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO BEFORE YOU DO THAT.
I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT, BUT CAN YOU REITERATE WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING? THIS IS MONDAY.
WHAT IS IT WE ANTICIPATE WITH ERCOT AND, AND, AND TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK? ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, WITH THESE TEMPERATURES, AS I MENTIONED, WITH THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES, WE'RE GOING TO SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THEIR AIR CONDITIONER, UH, TO EX AN EXTREME LEVEL TO KEEP COOL.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS ERCOT, ERCOT IS ANTICIPATING, UH, TO SEE PEAK DEMAND RECORDS GETTING SET EVERY DAY THIS WEEK, POTENTIALLY LAST YEAR, THE OVERALL ERCOT ALL TIME PEAK DEMAND RECORD WAS JULY 20TH, AND THAT RECORD WAS A LITTLE OVER 80,000 MEGAWATTS.
RIGHT NOW, THE SIX DAY SUPPLY AND DEMAND FORECAST THAT ERCOT HAS IS LOOKING, UM, THAT IT, IT WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT IT'S GOING TO BREAK THAT ALL TIME PEAK DEMAND RECORD EVERY DAY THIS WEEK BY, BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE ALSO FORECASTING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH SUPPLY TO MEET THAT, UM, EXTREME LEVEL OF DEMAND.
I'M THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY, A P H MEDICAL DIRECTOR HERE TO ASK OUR COMMUNITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND PREVENT HEAT ILLNESS.
WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING EXTREME HEAT, UM, THESE PAST FEW WEEKS, AND IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT IT WILL GO ON FOR MANY WEEKS TO COME.
UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO BE PREPARED EACH DAY AND PLAN YOUR DAY TO, UH, GO OUTSIDE AND DO YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DURING THE TIMES OF DAY WHEN IT'S COOLEST, UM, TO AVOID, UH, BECOMING, UM, OVERHEATED.
UM, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL INC, UM, EMERGENCY ROOMS AND URGENT CARE VISITS, AN INCREASE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS DUE TO THIS HEAT.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE.
BUT YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR YOURSELF BY, UH, WEARING, BY PLANNING YOUR DAY, BY WEARING LIGHT COLORED LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING, BY DRINKING LOTS OF WATER, TAKING BREAKS EVERY 20 MINUTES OR SO, IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE OUTSIDE
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TO SIP WATER.UM, ENGAGING IN THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WITH THE BUDDY SO THEY CAN REMIND YOU TO TAKE THOSE BREAKS TO COOL OFF AND TO DRINK WATER AS NEEDED.
UM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU CHECK ON LOVED ONES.
WE KNOW THAT THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR POPULATION ARE THOSE WHO ARE OLDER, UH, THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER, UH, PREGNANT WOMEN AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE LUNG AND HEART DISEASE.
WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BE VIGILANT DURING THIS TIME AND, UH, TAKE THOSE PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT BECOMING ILL.
AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO OUR E M S CHIEF CHIEF.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY E M S.
FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN TAKING MULTIPLE PROACTIVE MEASURES TO PREPARE FOR THIS HEAT.
UH, BOTH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS AND OUR COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER CPO HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ANTICIPATE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
OUR C H P TEAM HAS BEEN VI CHECKING ON ENCAMPMENTS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE IN ISOLATED ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, MUCH LIKE OUR PARTNERS FROM HESO, WE'VE BEEN HANDING OUT CASES OF WATER TO PEOPLE IN PETS ALIKE, AND WE'VE BEEN MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION IS PUSHED OUT FOR COOLING CENTERS AND HOW TO NAVIGATE GETTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THERE.
OUR C4 TEAM THIS LAST WEEK, OUR COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER HAVE, UH, ENSURED WE'VE HAD APPROPRIATE STAFFING, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TO SHIELDING LOW ACUITY CALLS AND LOOKING FOR BETTER NAVIGATION SERVICES TO THOSE PATIENTS THAT DON'T INVOLVE AN AMBULANCE RESPONSE.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN MONITORING DIFFERENT POWER OUTAGES AND COOLING CENTER STATUSES.
UM, JUST THIS LAST WEEK, WE HAD A PATIENT THAT WE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT WE DISCOVERED THEIR AIR CONDITIONERS OUT, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO GET THAT RESOLVED IN ANTICIPATION FROM THEM BEING DISCHARGED.
WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH FAMILY ELDER CARE TO ENSURE THAT CLIENTS THAT THAT NEED FANS HAVE FANS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
OUR FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION ANTICIPATED AND PREPARED FOR AN INCREASE IN HEAT RELATED INCIDENTS, AND WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY SEEN THAT OCCUR IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
WE'VE SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME FOR HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES SINCE APRIL 1ST.
WE'VE RESPONDED TO 215 INCIDENTS THAT WERE TRIAGED AS HEAT RELATED.
142 OF THOSE INCIDENTS WERE IN JUNE.
AND A STAGGERING 118 OCCURRED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
UH, LAST WEEK'S, OUR MEDICS RESPONDED TO A NINE ONE ONE CALL FOR A PATIENT THAT WAS WORKING OUTDOORS AT HEAT RELATED SYMPTOMS. UH, THIS PATIENT RECOGNIZED THEIR CONDITION AND CALLED 9 1 1, BUT VERY RAPIDLY PRIOR TO OUR ARRIVAL THAT PATIENT WENT UNCONSCIOUS.
THIS INCIDENT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES, AND I'M GONNA GET INTO THAT HERE IN A SECOND.
UH, MILD HEAT ISSUES ESCALATE TO LIFE-THREATENING HEAT STROKE IF LEFT UNTREATED IN MERE MINUTES.
LUCKILY, THIS PATIENT KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
OUR MEDICS TREATED THEM VERY QUICKLY WITH AGGRESSIVE COOLING MEASURES, INCLUDING COLD IV FLUIDS AND ICE BATH.
AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL, THE PATIENT WAS ALERT AND ORIENTED AND WILL THANKFULLY NOT SUFFER ANY PERMANENT DAMAGE.
HEAT CRAMPS AND HEAT EXHAUSTION ARE YOUR BODY'S WAY OF TELLING YOU THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG.
SO PLEASE, IF YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT, PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THOSE SYMPTOMS. LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT, EXHAUSTION, PROFUSE, SWEATING, DIZZINESS, WEAKNESS, PALE AND CLAMMY SKIN, FAST AND WEAK, PULSE AND NAUSEA, VOMITING.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE THESE SYMPTOMS, YOU WANT TO GET INTO A COOLER ENVIRONMENT AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
YOU WANNA LIE DOWN AND LOOSEN YOUR CLOTHING.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE AROUND THAT CAN APPLY COOL WET CLOTHS OR COMPLEX TO COOL THE BODY AND HAVE THEM SIP WATER.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT HEAT STROKE REAL QUICK.
HEAT STROKE IS A TIME SENSITIVE MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
IT MAY LEAD TO PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE OR DEATH IF LEFT UNTREATED WHEN YOUR SKIN IS HOT, RED AND DRY.
CONFUSION, LETHARGY OR UNCONSCIOUSNESS WITH A RAPID STRONG PULSE AND OF ELEVATED TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES IS INTO HEAT STROKE.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT EXPERIENCING HEAT STROKE, YOU NEED TO MOVE THAT PERSON TO A COOL ENVIRONMENT, REDUCE THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN, AND DO NOT GIVE THEM FLUIDS BY MOUTH.
WE WANT YOU TO KEEP AN EYE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MENTION IT AGAIN.
KEEP AN EYE ON CHILDREN, PETS, AND ELDERLY FOR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE.
THE VERY YOUNG AND VERY OLD, AS WELL AS PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES BECAUSE THEIR BODIES JUST CAN'T REGULATE THE HEAT.
PLEASE CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE AT RISK.
ANYTIME THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 72 DEGREES, THE HEAT INSIDE A CAR CAN HEAT UP RAPIDLY IN THE SUN.
SADLY, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A PEDIATRIC DEATH IN TEXAS AS A RESULT OF A CHILD BEING LEFT IN A HOT CAR.
HEAT STROKE IS STILL THE LEADING CAUSE OF NON COLLISION VEHICULAR RELATED DEATHS FOR CHILDREN.
AND THESE ARE CALLS WE NEVER WANNA RUN.
NEVER LEAVE A LIVING BEING ALONE IN A VEHICLE.
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YOU LOCK, PLACE YOUR BAG OR CELL PHONE IN THE BACK SEAT TO REMIND YOU TO CHECK BEFORE YOU'RE LEAVING THE VEHICLE.WE, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS IS READY TO RESPOND TO HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES, BUT YOU CAN HELP US BY MAKING SURE YOU'RE PREPARED WHEN YOU VENTURE OUT INTO THE HEAT PRE HYDRATE BEFORE YOU GO OUTSIDE, CONTINUING TO HYDRATE WHILE YOU'RE OUTSIDE.
WE RECOMMEND AT LEAST 16 OUNCES OF WATER EVERY HOUR WHEN OUTDOORS AND EVEN MORE IF YOU'RE DOING ANY SORT OF STRENUOUS ACTIVITY.
DRESS FOR THE HEAT HAT SUNSCREEN, TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS.
AND IF YOU'RE, UH, LIMITING YOUR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, WE ASK THAT YOU DO THAT IN THE EARLY MORNINGS OR THE LATE EVENINGS.
OUR MEDICS ARE OUT RUNNING 9 1 1 CALLS IN A VERY HARSH ENVIRONMENT.
I WAS OUT WITH THEM ON FRIDAY, AND THESE MEASURES THAT YOU CAN DO WILL HELP, UH, HAVE OUR MEDICS, UH, TAKE CARE OF YOU, BUT ALSO WITHIN A INCREASED DEMAND IN 9 1 1 CALLS.
WE DON'T WANT TO EXACERBATE THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM UNNECESSARILY.
I WANNA REITERATE THAT LAST POINT.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT ARE OUT, AND I'VE SAID THIS, I'VE SAID THIS AT THE FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE WE HAD ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT ARE OUT SERVING US.
UH, THEY'RE SERVING US BY BEING OUTDOORS IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.
SO IF YOU, I WANT TO ASK PEOPLE, IF YOU SEE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THIS, THEY'RE SERVING US, THEY'RE DOING IT IN WATER NOW, DANGEROUS CONDITIONS, IF THEY'RE OUT THERE, UH, DURING THE COURSE OF THE WHOLE DAY, UH, MANY TIMES IT'S DANGEROUS ANYWAY.
BUT THEN THIS ADDS AND EXACERBATES IT, YOU KNOW, THANK THEM.
PAY ATTENTION TO THEM, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRUE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND WITH THAT, UH, IF Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD PUT THE NUMBERS IN PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW YOU SAID THE NUMBERS ARE UP AND YOU GAVE SOME INTERESTING NUMBERS, BUT HOW WOULD THAT COMPARE TO MAYBE JUNE BEFORE WE WERE INTO A SITUATION LIKE WE HAVE NOW? YES, MA'AM.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY WEATHER DEPENDENT.
AS WE SEE THE TEMPERATURE RISE, WE DO SEE THE HEAT RELATED INSTINCTS GO UP.
WE CAN ACTUALLY PULL THE NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR, BUT WE WOULD WANT TO TIE THAT BACK TO A TEMPERATURE.
BUT WITH THIS INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE, WE HAVE SEEN THAT, UH, UPTICK OF HEAT RELATED CALLS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ALONE, AND THESE NUMBERS WERE PULLED AS OF LAST NIGHT.
SO I WOULD ASSUME THOSE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MORE CALLS OVERNIGHT WITH THE TEMPERATURE NOT DROPPING AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE.
ANY KIND OF PERSPECTIVE ON HOW MUCH, JUST IN GENERAL, WE KNOW THAT IT'S AN UPTICK.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE CALLS, WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP, WE'VE SEEN PATIENTS THAT WERE SICKER THAN WE NORMALLY SEE WHEN THE WEATHER IS COOLER.
AND SO KIND OF HAVING THOSE, UH, TAKING STOCK IN YOUR, UH, FITNESS, IN YOUR HEALTH AND BEING SMART ABOUT WHAT YOU DO OUTSIDE IS GONNA BE PARAMOUNT.
UH, THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM IS, IS VERY BUSY RIGHT NOW, AND WE WANT FOLKS TO NOT, YOU KNOW, EXACERBATE THAT 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
WE WANT TO KEEP OUR MEDICS HEALTHY, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR FLEET HEALTHY, AND WE'RE WORKING TO DO THAT.
BUT WE WANT FOLKS TO BE SMART ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING PRE HYDRATE AND JUST NOT PUSH A, PUSH A, A POOR LINE IF YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THIS OR CAN, IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE TWO OF YOU, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUT IN THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN MAYBE HOW PEOPLE ARE SURVIVING THIS SEAT? ACTUALLY, YOU WERE OUT AND ABOUT WITH ME ON FRIDAY, I BELIEVE.
UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE ENCAMPS RIGHT NOW, UM, DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT, AS I MENTIONED, IS THAT PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF WATER AND, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR PETS AS WELL.
UM, THEY WERE, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT WE MET WITH YESTERDAY WERE VERY GRACIOUS, UH, FOR US BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH WATER.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, UM, ADD TO THE, THE, THE POINT, UM, OF WATER DISTRIBUTION THAT STARTING, UH, TOMORROW.
UH, THERE WILL BE A LIST OF OUTREACH TEAMS THAT WILL ALSO BE DELIVERING WATER TO, UH, ENCAMPMENT SITES.
THOSE WILL INCLUDE THE HOST TEAM, UH, WHICH IS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH AND STREET SERVICE TEAM, UH, D ACC, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UH, PATH, THE INTEGRAL CARE TEAM, UH, SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER, THE URBAN, URBAN ALCHEMY, AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, WE CAN NOW AND HUNGRY HILLS.
SO, UM, I THINK, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE WILL BE, UH, ABLE TO GET WATER INTO THE COMMUNITIES, UH, INTO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WHERE, UH, THEY ARE NEEDED AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THOSE CAMPS.
AS AN ASIDE ON THAT, MAYBE NOT AN ASIDE, BUT AS A HIGHLIGHT TO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN IS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING A BIG EFFORT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
AND, UH, UH, WE WE'RE, WE'RE BEHIND IF WE INHERITED A SYSTEM THAT, IN MY VIEW, FOCUSED LESS ON EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND MORE ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH WE NEED, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, WE NEED MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY IT IS THAT WE NEED MORE EMERGENCY SHELTERS AT THE SAME TIME.
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CAUSE THE CONDITIONS OF LIVING ON THE STREET, UH, I MEAN THAT THEY CAN BE VERY EXTREME, THEY CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING.AND SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S BEING SAID, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING A STRONG EFFORT.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE SEEN RECENTLY, UH, WITH THE SALVATION ARMY DOWNTOWN CLOSING US ENTERING INTO A, A CONTRACT, A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THOSE EMERGENCY, UH, SHELTER BEDS IN PLACE.
YOU'VE HEARD THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN RFP THAT HAS GONE OUT TO DEAL WITH, UH, TO, TO HELP US MANAGE WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE MARSHALING CENTER.
UH, SO THERE, AND THERE WILL BE MORE AS WE GO ALONG.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CAN I, I COULD CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE QUESTION.
I'M THE CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND, UH, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UH, THE NUMBERS, NOT ONLY IS EMS, UH, TRACKING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR, UH, RESPONSES TO, UH, 9 1 1 CALLS, BUT, UH, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY STAFF IS ALSO TRACKING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AREA EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, AGAIN, A A, AS WES MENTIONED, AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS THAT ARE OCCURRING.
SO IT KIND OF CAPTURES NOT ONLY WHAT EMS MAY BRING IN, BUT PEOPLE WHO SELF REPORT INTO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE 20TH, THEY SAW 21 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS.
UH, WE PRODUCE A WEEKLY SITUATION REPORT THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.
WE OFTEN COMPARE IT WITH WHAT OCCURRED IN PREVIOUS YEARS AS WELL.
UM, AND BASED ON DIFFERENT, LIKE IN 2011, WE HAD A PRETTY HIGH HEAT WAVE, AND WE'RE SEEING, UH, HOW THAT COMPARES ON A, ON A, UM, YEARLY BASIS.
AND TRADITIONALLY WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST IS THAT USUALLY THAT FIRST HEAT WAVE IS WHAT REALLY GETS PEOPLE RIGHT.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE WORST OF IT RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN AS THE SUMMER PROGRESSES AND THERE ARE SU SUBSEQUENT HEAT WAVES, WE SEE THAT NUMBER START TO FLATTEN OUT A BIT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE GET THE MESSAGE AND THEY GET IN AND THEY GET OUT OF HARM'S WAY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED AND SOME OF THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT DATA, IT'S MAINLY, UH, I'M GONNA SAY ALMOST 50% ARE BETWEEN THE AGE OF 20 AND 39 YEARS OF AGE.
AND IT'S MOST LIKELY BECAUSE, AND IT'S MOSTLY MALES, BUT IT'S MOST LIKELY AFFECTING THOSE WORKERS THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE OR, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE CONTINUING TO EXERCISE OR, UH, GO OUT TO THE LAKE AND WHATNOT AND AND BE IMP IMPACTED.
SO IT'S THAT, IT IT, WHAT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE SEEING ARE THOSE YOUNGER, YOUNGER MALES COMING IN.
AND I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT IT'S MAINLY, MAINLY THOSE OCCUPATIONALLY RELATED WORKERS THAT ARE WORKING IN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.
SO AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, AS EVERYONE SAID, YOU JUST NEED TO MAKE, BE KIND OF THINK SMART AND, AND KEEP YOURSELF SAFE WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THOSE CONDITIONS.
BUT, UM, WE CAN ALSO SHARE THOSE SITUATION REPORTS FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT NEED THEM.
TWO QUESTIONS, BUT HAVE WE SEEN ANY HEAT RELATED DEATHS SO FAR, OR NOT YET OR SO? UM, AS OF NOW, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY HEAT RELATED DEATHS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH DEATH REPORTING IS THAT THEY MAY COME UPON SOMEBODY WHO HAS DIED AND THEY, IT TAKES SOME TIME TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS.
SO THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE WILL RUN TOXICOLOGY.
THEY'LL RUN A WHOLE NUMBER OF THINGS AS THEY, THEY TRY TO, UH, LOOK FOR WHAT THAT CAUSE OF DEATH IS.
SO THAT COULD TAKE WEEKS AND IT MAY ULTIMATELY BECOME A HEAT RELATED DEATH.
BUT OFTENTIMES WITH MANY OF OUR DATA THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S HOSPITAL DATA, UM, OR YOU, YOU GOTTA KIND OF CAPTURE THE WHOLE CONSEQUENCE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT PERSON.
AND SO, UM, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL LOOK AT, UM, THAT ALL THE INFORMATION RELATED TO THAT AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT, SOMETIMES IT'S VERY OBVIOUS WHEN SOMEBODY HAS HYPERTHERMIA THAT, THAT IT IS HEAT RELATED, A HEAT RELATED ILLNESS.
UH, BUT SOMETIMES IF THEY COME UPON SOMEONE WHO'S UNCONSCIOUS, AND THERE MAY COULD BE MAYBE OTHER REASONS FOR THAT, UH, THAT CAUSE OF DEATH, UH, IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME FOR THEM TO REPORT THAT OUT.
AND HOW IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUPPORTING THEIR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE OUT HERE IN THE HEAT? I KNOW THAT THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS A FEW TRUCKS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY AIR CONDITIONING.
I KNOW THEY'RE NOT HERE TO EXPLAIN THAT, BUT HOW IS THE CITY HELPING OUT THE FIRST RESPONDERS DIRECTLY? GO AHEAD.
SO FOR AN MS PERSPECTIVE, EXCUSE ME, WE ARE, UH, WATCHING OUR AMBULANCES IN THEIR CALL VOLUME.
WE'RE WATCHING WHAT THEY CALL THEIR UNIT UTILIZATION HOURS AND JUST HOW OFTEN THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT.
AND WE WILL SCHEDULE BREAKS, BUT IT'S A BALANCING ACT TO ENSURE THAT WE'VE GOT COVERAGE WITHIN THE 9 1 1
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SYSTEM.WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT ANY TRAINING WE DO IS IN THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENINGS.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY FIRST RESPONDERS NEED EMERGENCY CARE? WE HAVE NOT.
WE'VE NOT HAD ANY FIRST RESPONDERS FROM THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS SIDE THAT HAVE NEEDED EMERGENCY CARE RELATED TO HEAT.
BUT WE ARE MONITORING THE SYSTEM IN REAL TIME WITH OUR SHIFT CHIEF AND KIND OF WATCHING HOW MANY CALLS THEY'RE RUNNING, HOW LONG THEY'RE OUTTA THE STATION, ARE THEY GETTING BREAKS, ARE THEY GETTING FOOD, DO THEY HAVE ICE AND WATER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, HELPFUL ENOUGH, WHEN WE DO TAKE SOMEONE TO THE HOSPITAL, THE HOSPITALS HAVE A PLACE THAT THE MS CREWS CAN HANG OUT AND GET HYDRATED.
AND THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO OUR MEDICS WORKING VERY LONG AND HARD HOT SHIFTS.
AND AS THE MANAGER REPORTED AT THE LAST, UH, EFFORT TO, TO INFORM THE PUBLIC WHEN, WHEN MADE AWARE OF SOME OF THOSE, UH, WHEN MADE AWARE OF THOSE INSTANCES WITH THE FIRETRUCKS ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THOSE AIR CONDITIONERS ARE, ARE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.
ANYBODY IN THAT CASE, LET ME SAY THIS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO REPORT, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UH, BUT THE MESSAGE IS DON'T THINK YOU CAN JUST PUSH THROUGH THE HEAT, UH, PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODIES.
UH, BE AWARE AND BE VERY CAREFUL.
THERE IS, UH, THIS IS A TIME FOR US ALL TO BE CAREFUL.
IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN WEBSITES, BUT GO TO AUSTIN, UH, THE AUSTIN WEBSITE, GO TO THE UH, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY WEBSITE AND YOU CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE ARE IN A, UH, DIFFICULT PERIOD OF TIME CAUSE OF THIS HEAT AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE, AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW NEXT TIME WE'RE GONNA GET TOGETHER.
NOW AT NIGHT ON THE DELTA, HEY, I STILL HAVE DREAMS. HOW I HELD HER SOUND OF THE PADDLE WHEEL, FILL THE NO THERE GAME I DIDN'T PLAY.
I'M AT A RIVERBOAT NIGHT, DAY TILL I DANCED WITH THE BAND, PLAYED TENNESSEE.